GARY WILL is a consultant and speaker who works with individuals and organizations to help them attract employers, employees and customers by adopting a marketing attitude.

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The Worst of Interview Horrors!

Interview Horrors! Archive

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The web's most thorough guide to selling yourself to an employer.

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Writing a Persuasive Cover Letter

Putting a Spin on Work Experience

Improve your ability to communicate the value you offer an employer with Gary Will's book How to Prepare for an Employment Interview -- now available by e-mail in Microsoft Word format.

Sample chapters:

1. Selling Yourself in an Employment Interview
2. Is Preparation Even Possible?
7. What You Need to Know About Business
14. Asking Questions -- An Essential and Overlooked Step

The archive of shocking questions and horrible experiences from actual interviews

QUESTION: Please define "system."

I went for a scheduled job interview on Christmas Eve around noon. I waited for at least 15 minutes while the receptionist tried to find the Office Manager - during this time she spent the entire time talking on the phone to a friend and using foul language - then finally she said they couldn't find the Office Manager they guess she went to lunch - all I know was that I would never be interested in working anywhere with that type of unprofessional attitude!

I was being interviewed for an Internal Auditor position. After several technical questions I was asked What does JFMAMJJASOND stand for? I could not answer this question. The gentleman interviewing me explained that if I had read the current issue of Readers's Digest I would know that it stands for the month of the year. I did not get the job.

I was asked to teach a lesson to several 5-6 grade students while the interviewers observed. TEN clipboard carrying zombies filed into the back of the room, sat down, and CROSSED THEIR LEGS. Not a smile, not a word of welcome or introduction . . . we were off to an auspicious start!

Seven candidates for the same job were all given the same interview time of 9:00am. The interviews were conducted in alphabetical order, meaning I was last. When I was finally called at 5:25pm the interviewer said "I'm going home in 5 minutes so we'll have to be quick!"

I was brought into a room where there were 3 interviewers, who, for some reason, were quite angry. They all asked questions at the same time. There were only the 3 chairs so I wasn't given a chair. The worst question I can remember answering during that time was "How do you make a decision about were to go on vacation?" (for a position as a pharmacist) I was offered the job at the end of the interview but decided to decline. Who wants to work for rude people?

Electrical engineering student applying for summer hire at a powere utility company. I was asked "What is the color of electricity?" I thought for a minute (realizing it was a meaningless question) and responded I didn't know the answer, but would like to. They were just seeing if I would make something up. I got the job.

I was formerly employed as a supervisor for a firm that made beauty and hair care products. Image was very important to the company and after selecting a very qualified and urgently needed replacement receptionist, I was told I couldn't hire her because of the "no fat chicks" policy.

I interveiwed with a man in a t-shirt and shorts and he asked me if my husband would mind if I worked for him. He claimed that the last female he hired had to quit because her husband made her. He said many men are intimidated by the fact that he is so young. The guy is 30 and he runs a wooden locker manufacturing plant for his dad.

QUESTION: Can you count higher than 50? (For a Kmart employment test).

COMMENT: Surely you're over-reaching by applying for this position.

While interviewing for the position of secretary in an engineering firm, I sat and listened to one of the engineers tell me about his recent breakup with a girlfriend. He actually cried, told me that I reminded him of her, and told me that he couldn't finish the interview and probably wouldn't be able to work with me on a daily basis!

I once was interviewed for a government job and the interviewer read ALL of his questions off a sheet of paper. One by one he read each question. Failing to make eye contact with me during the entire interview. I totally lost all interest in his mechanical approach (I would be reporting to him) and needless to say, didn't get the job.

I was interviewing for a payroll job at a construction company, and the interviewer asks, Are you married or single?

In the worst interview I have had I was asked several rude and illegal questions such as if I was married, was I going to have children, where my husband worked, did he have a car, and who was responsible for the household duties. This interview was with a LAW FIRM!

After a few questions, the HR Manager drew a picture of a computer and a man, connected them with a line and asked: "Draw where are you on that line"

I was very happy to be taken on as a sales assistant in an art gallery. When my future boss called and invited me to a restaurant to "go over some details and get to know one another better," I was naive enough to accept the invitation. "The details" were explained to me as follows: whenever prospective customers arrived in the gallery, I was to make much of the men (unless when they were accompanied by their wives), I was to wine and dine them, and then take them back to "my place" (which would be a condo owned by the gallery, tastefully furnished and decorated and well-stocked with booze), and I musn't forget to change my name into something a little more posh-sounding. After having listened to all this dumbfounded, my boss reached out and pulled me to his chest exclaiming "When will you learn to loosen up?" and proposed we go to a discotheque. I declined, made my way home seething with rage, and the next day rang and told him to stuff his job. His parting shot: "You'll never amount to anything with such an unprofessional attitude."

Being interviewed for the position of writer at a small company in San Francisco when I had a beard, I met with the owner, a gubbly little man with a balding head, "I like your writing and would like to offer you the job," he said, "but I don't trust a man if I can't see his face."

I was applying for Computer Systems Administration job and was asked "What experience do you have installing hardware?" I started off with stuff that I had done and when I couldn't think of anymore he asked, "Any others?" He started working at his desk while I sat there and named off things with 3 minute spans in between, trying to squeeze out every possible thing I could remember. He checked his Email, web-surfed, and so on. Obviously, he was not impressed.

QUESTION: If you could be any Walt Disney character, which would you pick? After giving my response, I was curious which character the interviewer would choose. He answered, "I would not choose to be any Walt Disney character, Walt Disney was a racist."

COMMENT: You are not a modest person I think you do not fit the job. The other candidates are more modest and speak less about themselves.

I had an interview for a temporary position as Product Manager. The Vice President of Markeing and Strategic Planning came in, looked at me and asked why I wanted to relocate to Belgium. I said I considered it to be the businesss capital of Europe. He retorted, "DO YOU?" I said "yes, I do." He then left the room and left me sitting there, and never informed the other manager that he had finished.

I entered the interviewer's office and sat down in the chair offered me. I couldn't help but notice that my chair was at least 6" lower than his.

QUESTION: How much postage would it take to mail a first-class letter to South Africa? (For a programming position)

Interviewing with a computer consulting company, the interviewer kept repeating that they were a young company who employed young, energetic people. The interview went well. So well that he said that I was a good fit and could have the job. While we were waiting for my employment papers to be filled out, he said he had noticed that I went to the University of Wisconsin and asked me how I liked it. I said that I liked it very much, and my son also likes it. The interviewer's jaw dropped, "You have a son in college?" he asked, then raced out of the room. He came back later saying the papers were taking longer than he thought and that I should give him a call next week. Needless to say, he was never in when I called.

About 30 people who had attended a job fair were called in for screening at a new hi-tech company. We were seated in a conference room with rock music playing, food and soft drinks. Then we were asked to fill out job applications from a temporary agency while watching a video of the staff dancing the macarena at their last trade show. We were told that as part of the interview we would have to dance the macarena. The staff were so intent on demonstrating they were hip.

After a series of relatively normal questions, I was asked, "Do you think you're an A, B, C, or D-type person?" I was completely confused, and asked for an explanation. The interviewer said he was not allowed to stray from the interview script prepared by his personnel manager for their psychological profiling system.

I was being interviewed for an internship as a hospital chaplain. The work would be in the E.R. of a major county hospital. I was prepared for questions about training and methodologies when out of the blue one of the staff asked, "Do you like girls?"

I had an interview with the local community college for a public relations/marketing position, and one of the first questions I was asked was, why did I "give up teaching." Never having taught a day in my life, I was slightly dumbfounded. The interviewers had stapled pages from someone else's resume to mine. I didn't get the job.

I was being interviewed on campus by a well known computer chip corporation. After several technical questions I was asked how many hairstylists are there in the Unitied States and how did I arrive at my answer. I responded, "licensed or licensed and practicing?"

I had an interview at a retail store scheduled by the person who told me that she would be the one conducting the interview. When I got there, I was told she wasn't in. Three managers fought over who HAD to interview me. The one who got stuck with the task was none too happy and didn't listen to anything I said. I called later that day and complained about the interview to the store manager. I told her there was no way I would accept a job from such an unprofessional place. Monday morning I got a call from the store asking where I was -- my shift had started an hour earlier!

One interviewer asked me what religion I was, if my parents were divorced, and the occupations and marital status of my siblings. Another asked me how many gas stations I thought there was in the United States.

The boss told me to take off my shoes, if my toe nails were painted I would get the job.

QUESTION: How will your epitaph read?

QUESTION: What type of personality do you have?

QUESTION: After being contacted at 9:30pm for an interview the next afternoon, I sat for half an hour past the scheduled interview time, and was then told I would be interviewed first by the HR manager. No one was able to locate her. Another 15 minurtes later, I asked the receptionist how much longer it would be. She called the Accounting Manager who came came out, asked me four questions, and said that I still needed to speak with the HR Manager. I waited an additional 15 minutes, still no sign of the woman, and I left. She called that night at 9:30pm to apologize and ask if I was still interested in the position. The answer was a definte no!!

I was one of three finalists for a position only to be forgotten in the waiting room after the other two had been interviewed. I had been sitting for half an hour when a noticeably shocked interviewer saw me when he came out to go to the restroom. It wasn't hard to figure that I wasn't one of the hometown favorites! I was the token third name that had to be presented for consideration. My "interview" lasted less than five minutes.

During an interview with a company I previously worked for, the interviewer wanted to make it perfectly clear that I was not her first selection. It was her boss that was interested in having me back. I felt like telling her where to get off!

I was a mature age student finishing a degree in accounting & finance. The interviewer asked if I had applied to chartered accounting firms. I answered yes, but that I had been unsuccessful (unsaid - we all know they only look for 21 year olds). She replied, "Yes, they only want good looking people." Well I felt like a lump of chopped liver!

I was interviewed for a public relations position for a major auto company after taking an exam for the position. The interviewer told me that I had the hightest score they had ever seen and he was quite excited about my prospects for joining the company. He was also quite impressed with my experience and background (five years as a general assignment reporter). Then he said, "Your degree is in journalism, isn't it." "It will be," I responded. "I graduate in June (this w as late April)." "Oh," he said, "you have to have a degree for this job. I'm sorry." End of interview! No job offer.

When being interviewed for a secretarial position at an opthalmologist's office, I was asked how to spell chrysanthemum. I told them I knew it had a c, a few h's and some m's. As well, I wore eyeglasses and was asked if I'd ever considered switching to contacts! I'd never been discriminated against based on the type of product I used to correct my near sightedness!

In one interview, the head of the company sat me in a chair in the center of the room, right under a hanging light fixture. Two other managers positioned themselves on either side of the room, but just behind me (so I had to swivel my neck first one way then the other to make eye contact). Then the big boss started asking tough questions while CIRCLING ME! When I explained my qualifications he said, "Oh, REALLY?!?!?!?" When I talked about being exposed to all facets of the business he said, "You HAVE, have you?" All while walking round and round. When it was over, one of the managers said, "Wow, you really handled yourself well in there." My answer: "The Gestapo act almost made me laugh."

QUESTION: Are you a true blonde? (A female interviewer asked me this!)

The interviewer was swaying back and forth in his chair, asking questions. Then his chair fell backwards and he landed on the floor. I was so tense I couldn't stop myself from laughing. After gathering himself, we resumed the interview. Of course I burst out with laughter again. Needless to say I was not hired.

QUESTION: Do you think that police should be able to pick up speeders in unmarked police cars and why? (Interviewing for a summer job in a hardware store.)

Applying for a County Clerk Position before a panel of interviewers."What rumors have you heard around town about the County Judge being replaced?" My response was that I didn't listen to rumors and explained why I was interested in applying for the position. I didn't get the job offer.

I applied for a job as a Marketing Assistant and had all the qualifications. After stating how stressful the job would be and how demanding and pressurising it would be - the interviewer asked if I wouldn't mind making all the other staff members in the firm coffee three times a day!

Interviewed for a System Adminisrator position by a panel consisting of the GM, the IT Manager (to whom the position was reporting), HR Manager and Technical Manager. After about 45 minutes, the HR Manager nodded to the IT Manager, "Hey, you better be careful, she might want to take over your job."

I missed a day of school, flew from Colorado to Arizona, bought a new outfit, and borrowed a car to go to an interview. When I got there, the interviewer quickly read over my resume that he had received a month earler and said, "Well, I don't really have any questions for you. Do you have any for me?"

QUESTION: Name three of your worst qualities. and how they might affect your job performance.

QUESTIONS: Tell me about the problems you are having living within your financial means. followed by You really don't seem like our type. Don't you agree you would be better off in another company?

When interviewing for a job at a grocery store I was asked if I would tell my manager if I knew my father was stealing from the store. I said no, but I got the job.

I was 18 and on my first interview ever, for a waitstaff position. The first question out of the managers mouth was "Do you play softball?" I replied "Yes, I lettered two years in high school". He said "You're hired"! The softball team was dissolved before I ever played a game, but I ended up working there for 5 years! Who'd have thought!

QUESTION: Do you have a problem with people calling you "Shortie"?

QUESTION: What's your favourite color?

QUESTION: Are you a hardworking person?

QUESTION: Do you like sports? (For position as Director of Advertising.)

I had four -- count 'em, four -- interviews with Symantec and after the last one (three months later) they said, "You weren't enthusiastic enough, sorry."

I went in to interview for a telemarketing position. The boss had me make a "sample sales call". When I was finished, he said, "Well, keep going. Call some more." On my third call, he said, "You're hired, and you start now". I ended up working for the next three hours, and it was strongly implied that I would not be allowed to leave. After my "shift", I never went back.

For a government job: "To be honest with you, I have to interview you because you scored higher on the civil service exam than my friend did. Do you still want to continue with the interview?" (I said yes, but I wasn't surprised when he selected his friend!)

Interviewer: "My ex-husband wears the same cologne as you."

QUESTION: "What question did you prepare for this interview that I did not ask you?"

QUESTION: "How would you organize you work area, if you were to start with just a desk and chair?"

One intervewier had an eye patch on one of his eyes, and he kept removing it during the interview to shock me.

I had been recommended for a job in an area where the majority of the personnel were male. Having all the qualifications and experience needed, I was very confident during my interview. The interviewer told me I was exactly what he was looking for, but there was no way he could put someone as good looking as me on a shop floor with 300+ men.

Interviewing for a job in retail software sales I was asked, "Don't you think you are too old to accept an entry level job? We're looking for young college graduates." Even though my resume showed that I stayed with companies until they went out of business, the woman kept telling me over and over, "Oh, you'll leave as soon as something better is offered. We've had that experience with older people so we don't hire them!"

QUESTION: If you owned a company and found that one of your employees stole five dollars over a span of one year, would you fire this person? (For a life insurance sales position)

QUESTION: If a customer calls you a bitch, what will you do?

QUESTION: Give me three reasons I shouldn't hire you. (He demanded I come up with three reasons when I told him I couldn't think of any. I didn't get the job.)

I applied for a job as an aerobics instructor back before many of the current discrimination laws were put into affect. After realizing that I was married, the interviewer asked if I planned on getting pregnant. I was rather shocked but respectfully answered "No." The interviewer proceeded to tell me that pregnancies aren't always planned....I didn't get the job.

I was applying for a part time job at a sporting goods store and two of the questions on the written test were: Have you ever stolen anything in your life? (it gave examples like taking a pen or any small thing -- even by accident). The other question was Have your ever thought about robbing a bank?

Two candidates were asked in for a second interview. Both were brought into the manager's office, handed a job description, and were asked to interview each other for the position.

I was interviewed for a post within the local government where a friend worked. I felt at ease since I had some background information about the service and the interview went particularly well. I didn't get the job. When I saw my friend who worked there she told me that the reason I didn't get it was because he found my green eyes offensive!

QUESTION: This company you worked for, I thought they were a terrible outfit. How do you feel about that?

While trying to get a job at a local dog kennel, I called and was told that the owner did not want to hire a teenager. I said thank you and hung up. Several days later, I noticed an ad in the paper for a job at a kennel and called, not realizing that it was the same kennel. She told me to come in for an interview, and when I got there, she said the only reason she was hiring me was because I kept calling her. I worked as hard as I could to prove to her that I would stay, but she soon hired another woman for most of the responsibilities I was told were part of my job. I was very insulted, so I told her that I had found another job (which I had). Her reply? "I didn't think that you would stay. Teenagers are immature, anyway."

I had just been hired at a well known donut chain, and the owner asked me "how many donuts would you eat in a day?" He said he needed to know for his records. I lasted there only two months.

During the interview, the manager of the company leaned back in his leather recliner and asked me how I would feel if he asked me to get him a cup of coffee for him? His office manager was sitting in on the interview, but he never let her speak. Just looking at her, I felt this was not the place for me. The worst question I was ever asked was whether or not my husband had a job, and if he had a car. Never figured that one out.

I was interviewed for a position in the management devlopment program for a major bank. The interviewer, obviously not excited about interviewing an African-American candidate, asked me what make me think I could go into banking because most people that did well had a tradition of banking through the generations in their families. I responsed that perhaps he was suggesting I consider slavery. Not amused he ended the interview, and I did not go into the banking business that day.

QUESTION: If you were a stick of gum, what flavor would you be and why?

QUESTION: What is your passion? Do you think there will be world peace in your lifetime?

I was recently interviewed by one of the partners of a well-known agency and was selling my linguistic abilities -- I speak four languages and am a native of Brazil. The interviewer apologized that she had no openings that could use my abilities... all she had was a client looking for someone who spoke fluent Portuguese! History and geography were obviously not her strengths.

When I arrived at my interview, the receptionist called the manager on his speaker phone. He came to the front desk and said, "Okay, let's go"! I was confused because I thought interviews took place in the office. We walked to the underground parking lot and got into his Porsche. At this point I thought that the guy was a pervert. I had my hand on the door release all the way. When I saw it was the food park in the shopping mall that we were heading to, I finally relaxed. As it turned out, he was hiding me from the person I ended up replacing -- who was still in the office at the time of my interview.

Recently I met with a completely unprepared and uninterested interviewer. She immediately began talking about her personal life and how her husband thought she was crazy. The interview -- for an engineering position -- lasted only 30 minutes, during which she asked four questions. I was appalled at her lack of professionalism.

Once I went to an interview and noticed that the interviewer was paying close attention to my responses. I assumed I was interesting and impressing her. Unfortunately, she was actually paying close attention to a piece of collard green stuck in my teeth. It was horrible.

I was interviewing for a government job and we got to the moment when they asked about my expected renumeration. I have many years of experience. When I told my prospective boss how much I was expecting, he sneered at me and said he shouldn't even be paying me to learn from HIM! I gave him a piece of my mind and walked out!

QUESTION: If we don't hire you, can we still use your ideas? (For Manager of Advertising)

QUESTION: What two things would you bring on a trip to the moon? (For pharmacy school)

QUESTION: Do you think that your friends like you and why?

When I arrived for my interview, the receptionist called the person I was supposed to talk to and asked me to go fill out an application. I completed the application in 15 minutes and was then told that the person I was supposed to meet had left. No reason. No apologies. No thank you. If I am treated this way on an interview then I doubt it would get much better as an employee.

After 30 years in the electronics industry, I was asked "Do you know the difference between analog and digital?" Wanted to say something like "DO YOU?"

After 20 years of sales experience -- some in the millions of dollars -- an interviewer THREW me a pencil, and said "Sell this to me!" I did, but quit after three months.

QUESTION: What do you most dislike about yourself? (For a part-time job at a brokerage)

At a pizza restaurant: "Okay, now understand that you can't smoke pot AT the front counter. You'll have to do it in the back or something."

I was being interviewed for an administrative assistant job and was asked what the circumference of a circle was. Then he asked me to add 1+2=3, 2+3=5, 3+4=7, all the way up to 100. Like this has anything to do with the job I would be doing. I left and never looked back. What a jerk...

I am a single woman in my mid 30s and have a roommate because I don't like living alone. Several recruiters have asked if anyone would be moving with me when relocation is discussed. I must have mentioned my roommate once because the next time we spoke the recruiter asked "If you relocate to Phoenix, will you, uh, and your roommate still, umm, see each other?" I resisted the urge to say the first thing that came to my mind and responded with "We've been friends for a long time and go to the same church and I'm sure we'll remain friends, but she won't be moving with me, if that's what you're asking." I think he about died on me there... it took him a while to recover.

QUESTION: (For a tech position) Can you beat me in pool? I said probably yes.

QUESTION: If there was one thing you could do to change the world what would it be?

QUESTION: What do you want out of life?

I was interviewing for a police/fire dispatcher. I was poor and had to hand wash and dry my suit. During the interview, when I crossed my legs, a sheet of Bounce fell out of my pant leg to the floor. We both noticed it and simulataneously asked, "Is that yours?" We laughed and then continued. I got the job.

When interviewing for a job as a research associate who would manage a water quality monitoring project, I was asked to prove that I could perform heavy lifting by carrying a case of sulfuric acid across a laboratory room. It was humiliating and of course, he did not ask any men to perform this test.

When interviewing for a government job: "I'm sorry, but the job has already been filled in-house. We just have to go through the motions of interviewing people."

The interviewer stated that the person whose job I would have been filling was a very valued employee who had all the qualifications they could ask for. Then he asked me, if I could be that person? I said No! and walked out.

QUESTION: Do you know how to use a calculator?
(I'm an industrial engineer, applying for a job as a broker for a multinational bank.)
ANSWER: Don't you have an abacus, instead?

QUESTION: Are you married or planning on having children any time soon? Because we hired one person who was pregnant and didn't tell us, and she didn't come back after maternity leave. We don't want that to happen again. (By the way, this was a WOMAN who asked me this question!)

QUESTION: If you were a vegetable, which vegetable would you be?

QUESTION: Everyone has cost their employer money at sometime, what is the worst situation where you've burned a previous employer?

A programming recruiter told me about an employer who demanded that a prospect "answer the damn question."

I was once asked how much I weigh and I thought it was really embarrasing.

QUESTION: Name three uses that can be made of a plant pot.

My husband is a Registered Massage Therapist. An interviewer asked me what I thought of my husband sleeping with different women everyday because of his job!

QUESTION: If you can be any car, what kind of a car would you be and why? (Asked when applying for a position at a popular hotel chain.)

QUESTION: Will you have a problem supervising men and telling them what to do? (If I only could have told him what to do with his question.)

QUESTION: You won't fight with any of our employees will you? (Interviewing with the Technical Services Director at a local newspaper after I told them I left a previous employer over a disagreement about compensation.)

QUESTION: If you just received $10,000 what would you do with it?

I interviewed for a receptionist position in a gynecologist's office many years ago. I was married at the time. Throughout the interview, the doctor kept asking me if I was planning on having children and seemed overly concerned about the fact that I was married. Finally, when I had assured him that my husband and I were not planning on having children anytime soon, he admitted that a previous receptionist "only took the job so that she could get free obstetric services." As if! There was no way I would take that job!

QUESTION: For a programmer position: "What's the nerdiest thing you've ever done with a computer?"

After a first interview with a nice and affable manager, I was invited to a second interview with the owner. During this interview, the affable manager was berated and verbally abused by the owner. The owner then turned to me and asked how I handled being yelled at. After the interview, I fled in terror. They offered me the job, which I refused, even though I needed employment badly!

I received a call for an interview where the man just wanted me to "come on over so that he could take a look at me". When I got there he looked over my portfolio, then told me that he had had sexual harassment charges against him, and that he attended Alcoholics Anonymous once a week. He then told me all about his many health problems. I took the job and lasted six months.

QUESTION: How would you redesign an elephant?

I was recently asked if I had any regrets about the choices I have made which I found odd considering I am 26 years old and have served two years in the Peace Corps and earned a Master's degree. I did not know what she was getting at, so I just said no -- though I don't think I concealed my shock.

After trying to reach a particular person on phone by calling and leaving a message twice a day for five straight days, I finally got through. About 30 seconds into the call, his response was "I'm sorry, but the only reason you got through was because I thought you were someone else."

QUESTION: How would you weigh a 747?

QUESTION: We like people with strong communications traits. Do you have the ability to lie?

QUESTION: Have you ever stolen ANYTHING?

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